Thunderstorms seem to be a regular event in summer across the northern USA. I remember growing up in Montana that it seemed like clockwork – about 4pm five days a week a good thunder/lightning storm would blow through and an hour later it was clear again.

I’ve always loved watching lightning storms. Standing on the deck, scanning the darkened skies… it’s like watching fireworks on the 4th of July. Ooooh and ahhhhh and THAT was close!

If you have kids, these storms are great moments for teaching about meteorology, physics, dynamic forces and old stories about tribal beliefs on weather gods. This afternoon up here in New Hampshire, during one of these storms, my friend Bill and I made Mocafe Sofetto Blended Tart Smoothies, gathered his daughters and some neighbor kids together, and rode out the lightning storm while using the moments to give them knowledge: backcountry T-storm safety, ancient weather gods and storm dynamics.